1,000 EV Charging Stations Coming To Kansas City

When it comes to BBQ and steak, Kansas City, Missouri, is a destination for many Americans. But when it comes to electric cars, Kansas City hardly seems like a blip on the radar. Though, that’ll soon change thanks to Kansas City Power & Light, which in a partnership with Nissan and ChargePoint is installing some 1,000 free EV chargers in the greater metro area.

According to Green Car Reports, the Clean Charge Network, as its being called, will feature mostly 240-volt Level 2 chargers, though Nissan will also include 15 DC fast chargers as part of the plan. The “combination” chargers will support both CHAdeMO chargers preferred by Nissan as well as the CSS chargers used by American and European automakers. Nissan will operate the 15 DC fast chargers, while ChargePoint will handle the rest of the Level 2 charging stations. Though the stations will be free to use, drivers will still have to sign up for a ChargePoint membership.

This announcement follows closely on the heels of a joint Volkswagen-BMW-ChargePoint deal that will see charging corridors installed along America’s east and west coasts. With this new deal, though, Kansas will go from having just a handful of EV chargers to more than any other state, save for California. It will give America’s heartland a huge boost for electric vehicle adoption, a place that needs it, considering the relatively low adoption rate of plug-in cars in typically conservative states.

It’s not all good news for environmentalists in Missouri, though, as the local car dealers association has filed suit against the state to halt Tesla sales. Environmental groups have also filed suit against a couple of utility companies (though not Kansas City Power & Light) for failing to meet renewable energy expectations. Yet there is also a town in the very same state that is 100% wind powered, demonstrating the sustainable dichotomy of this state.

At least for EV owners in the Kansas City area, there will be a lot more places to plug in once a majority of the stations are installed this summer. It’s a truly massive step that will propel this traditionally conservative state to the forefront of the EV movement.

A writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs, Chris can be found wrenching or writing -- otherwise, he's running, because he's one of those crazy people who gets enjoyment from running insane distances.

Want to plug your EV into your PV system? Of course you do. Here are some resources to get you started:

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